Published: 18 September 2018

Fall is definitely upon us, and that means winter is soon to follow. Your Ameri-Can team of drivers have seen some nasty wrecks in their travels, and they want you to stay safe! Here are their top five tips for a stress-free winter driving season.

1. Prepare for winter: Have your vehicle serviced to make sure it is in good driving condition, that antifreeze and windshield washer fluid are suitable for cold weather, and switch to winter-specific tires.
   
   
2. Prepare for your trip: Whether you’re just going down the block or heading out on an excursion, remove all snow, including on the roof, and scrape frost from all windows. If you’re going to travel outside of residential areas, pack a winter safety kit that includes at a minimum, a shovel, flashlight, warm clothes, food and water.
   
   
3. Slow down: Accelerate at a slower rate, travel at a slower rate, and brake more slowly. Give yourself extra time to get where you’re going, keep a 10 second count between you and the driver ahead so you have time to brake or steer around them if necessary.
   
   
4. Let the pack pass you: It’s very tempting to drive faster to stay ahead of the pack of cars spraying slush and sand on your windshield, but it’s much safer to stay in the right-hand lane, slow down, and let them pass you.
   
   
5. Watch for signs of black ice: Black ice is really invisible ice. It’s a thin layer on top of bare pavement that looks more like a shallow puddle or just wetness. If the temperature is near freezing, that’s your first clue that those wet spots could be ice, particularly in any spot that is shaded or raised, like a bridge. Another sign is frost developing on your windows. Slow down well before any such areas, or turns or curves in the road.

Ameri-Can Logistics Ltd. is a trucking company servicing shipping ports, railroad depots, and communities throughout North America. Operating 24/7/365 with continuous dispatch services, businesses have relied on Ameri-Can to distribute their products to buyers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, for three decades.